This is Upperline’s most famous creation. Its origins marry my country upbringing near Alexandria, Louisiana, in the 1940s and 1950s where I ate fried green tomatoes, and the cosmopolitan dishes I discovered as a teenager upon moving to New Orleans. I had never been to a cafeteria before entering the A&G Cafeteria on Loyola Avenue. It was overwhelming at first to see all that food there for the taking, glowing under special lighting. So much was new, in particular shrimp rémoulade on little oval platters. I had never even seen a tiny platter—and in north Louisiana at that time, shrimp were not eaten unless they were fried and served with a tiny container of tartar sauce on the side.

In 1991, when I heard of a new movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, my brain pounced. Upperline had to have an upscale version on the menu! Next morning my first thought was, “Aha! We’ll put our Shrimp Rémoulade on top of the tomatoes.”

Cold shrimp, hot tomatoes, spicy sauce, Southern Creole synergy… I must have dreamed it. Our guests loved the combination, and no one copied it until a few years later when I walked one afternoon into Uglesich’s, a beloved New Orleans restaurant that closed in 2005, and Anthony Uglesich called from across the dining room, “JoAnn, I copied your fried green tomatoes. Come try mine.” Well, that opened the doors to many variations in New Orleans and around the nation, even on po-boys. It was thrilling to have inspired so many cooks, recipe creators, and chefs and made thousands of guests happy! I was very proud. – by JoAnn Clevenger

 JoAnn is thrilled to share Upperline’s famous Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Rémoulade.

Also, be sure to read Rick Bragg’s memories of dining at Upperline.